West raised a single eyebrow at Hotaka.
"You have a good point." he began. "However, we need to establish a falling-back point. A shelter, if you will. Somewhere secure."
---------------------------------------
"Woooooo!" Delphi yelled as she reappeared with the other reploids. "That was awesome!"
------------------------------------------------
Ah, Helper. I'm glad to know you're safe as well. Dr. West is currently discussing where the main force will strike. As of right now we have units placed in the locale of Terra Volta. I am forwarding you their coordinates now. We have also recieved a distress call from Peregrine Island, though that has changed direction towards Terra Volta - ...and now its coordinates match the others.
Potential courses of action are as follows: Return to base or rendezvous with units in Terra Volta. Independent action is also encouraged; though notification is advised.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
((Anyone who has a Disciple, feel free to bring them. Whoever doesn't want to can be assumed to be too busy at the time.))
"I do hope I may be of assistance in some way?" Moonscribe said calmly from a corner near Dr. West.
It might well take a second for anyone to realize that he had only just arrived, and had not been there all along. He was not one for flashy entrances. He still looked fairly unobtrusive, clad in a simple deep blue robe and glasses, with black hair and a thin frame.
"Hmm. Where did you come from?" Reginald said, peering curiously at the hero.
"Oh, uh, hi guys. . ." Brightflame said tentatively beside Moonscribe. He was dressed in a spandex hero costume with flame patterns on it most kindly described as "typical". He had little to distinguish himself from the thousands of heroes that lived in Paragon.
But it made a great deal of sense. After all. . . the Disciples of the Moon were of no real importance.
". . . Look, someone make up their mind," Hallucinogen sighed, still looking longingly at the doorway Essex had gone through. ". . . This is hard enough for me already. Just tell me where to go."
The Oracle looked worriedly at Hallucinogen, appearing on the stone tablet again. "Oh. . . honey. . ."
"Hahahahaha," Reginald laughed, smiling at Hallucinogen. It was most uncharacteristic of him. . .
"I'm sure you two have a great destiny together. But only if you fight for it. Nothing is worth having if you will not fight to preserve it. . . Dr. West," the bounty hunter said, turning. "I would like permission to accompany Hallucinogen on whatever task you send him on. . . Unless, of course, I am needed elsewhere."
"There is no love," Moonscribe muttered, "only the desire to protect those you care for."
Hallucinogen could have sworn that Moonscribe had directed that at him. Then again, a second later he barely remembered it, and must surely have imagined it, though its shadow lingered in his mind.
Another figure stepped out from beside Brightflame, her eyes lightly closed in a neutral smile.
"Posh." Truefeather sang. "You contradict yourself, Moonscribe. 'Protect the ones you care about' - It's as if you're saying love is not love, just the desire to protect those you love. If you make it into a calculation, you know the variable would become infinitely recursive. 'Love = Desire/Protect(love)' would turn into a mathematical nightmare."
Coming fully into view, the heroine with long black hair, a thin crimson band around her forehead, and a black and red outfit with a long feather tucked into her belt smiled at those gathered.
"When, when, when will you learn that you can't explain everything." she chided jokingly. "Particularly the greatest enigma that has ever existed."
"This is all well and good." West interrupted, suddenly gruffly, "But people are dying. It is time that we remedy that."
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"Danger....Will Robinson...." Solid sighed before he collapsed to the ground in a tangle of armor and metallic bones.
************************************************
"And a how-de-do to you too, Kreigg, was it?" asked Toy Dispenser as he flew up next to Kreigg as the alien fell through the air.
"You're just the alien I was looking for," he said as a force field formed around Kreigg. "And once you hit the ground, let's talk."
Hopefully, the detention field would keep Kreigg from any major damage.
*************************************************
"It is indeed time," said yet another person who stepped out from behind Brightflame. "A time long since in coming, I believe."
With both arms crossed and one eye open underneath his backwards facing baseball cap, the Conductor of Souls didn't look like an extrordinary hero at all. Just another of those relatively faceless hundreds that made up the bulk of the hero population. Then again, like Brightflame, this was on purpose.
"It is high time for the Rikti to be judged," Conductor said. "We shall assist you in this task, but we must move quickly."
"HOW DID YOU ALL FIT BEHIND HIM!?!" Wielder asked as he looked at Conductor and Truefeather in confusion. "I CAN UNDERSTAND THE WOMAN FITTING BACK THERE! BUT TWO OF YOU!?!"
"That's not of any importance," Conductor said, turning his head to face the others while still standing off to one side.
*************************************************
[A message from the High Command, Warmaster,] said an aide as Chertak sat down in the chair at the head of the press table. [Commander Chezret and his command are being relocated to our position to strengthen it against possible retaliations.]
[Good, good,] Chertak replied as he took off his helmet and laid it on the table next to him. [Has High Command approved of my plan?]
[They said they are discussing it, Warmaster.]
[Huh,] Chertak snorted. [They shall need to hurry up then. Our time is almost past.]
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
". . . It is a mantra, a Law I place upon myself," Moonscribe said to Truefeather, inclining his head once at Conductor as he appeared. "I recited it for Hallucinogen's benefit. He need not use it unless he needs to. . ."
". . . Okay. . ." Hal said dejectedly. "I could try it. . ."
"You see, my Laws do not affect reality, only perception," Moonscribe continued. "I feel the same things, the same emotions, but with the Laws, I can ensure that none perceive them as such, including myself. And thus be free of their drawbacks, which would interfere with my way of life. As I believe I have mentioned to you before. I do not know if you remember."
Reginald glanced over at them, and raised an eyebrow. He had a feeling this was not a new argument. . .
"I am not outfitted for stealth operations, so I feel my best contribution would be to aid the survivors in Peregrine Island," Helpers deductions were logical as always, though sometimes ogical didn't necesarily mean practical. "I do not believe King's Row has been affected by the violence yet. No heroes have arrived from the emergency mediporters for some time now. However, I believe I can access the system and send myself directly to Peregrine's Hospital. If you maintain communications with them, please alert them I will be there shortly."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Toy Dispenser! Yer my smeggin' hero!" Kreigg shouted, his voice muffled and hollow from inside the detention field. It didn't stop his descent, but slowed it to the point that when he did hit the ground it was rather gently. Not at all the sort of thing he was used to.
As usual, the clothes Kreigg was wearing were covered in soot and slightly charred. If there was a contest for the unluckiest creature in the universe, Kreigg's transport would explode on the way to it.
"That was a smeggin' nice landing! I gotta stick with you more often! Anyway, enuffa the chatter, somebody shot my keister down, and from the looks of it this is a major event for you too. Who are we pasting today?"
"Ever hear of the Rikti?" Toy asked as he drained the remaining power from the field, releasing Kreigg. "We're pasting their whole [censored] race."
"They blew up the boss's boss," Mini Bot said as it hopped down in front of Kreigg.
"And we don't much appreciate guys that happen along and upset the entire system of power," Combat Toy added as it slammed to the ground behind Toy, who didn't move in the slightest.
"Therefore," Toy Bot said as it landed next to Toy and stumbled forward a couple of steps to bleed off the rest of its momentum. "Therefore we shall be leading a strike against the Rikti attacking Paragon City."
"Break those and we break their whole effort," Large Toy said as it teleported next to Combat Toy.
"Then we only have to worry about their space ships," Block Bot sighed as it appeared next to Large Toy. "The manufactory picked them up by sheer luck on its long range sensors."
"Have any friends around that you can call up?" Toy asked Kreigg as his robots finished talking. "I'm mobilizing as many of the Rogue Isles supers as I can."
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
Essex knew of Solid's status before he hit the ground. His communicator with Repliforce Paragon began patching directly into his processor.
Ranged support is raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanged. Essex teased over the comm as his base entry allowance module began to erupt with nanomachines.
In the meantime, Delphi knelt next to the downed steel 'bot. "[censored]' Rikti." she grumbled.
-----------------------------------------------
All right, Helper. Understood. Please let me know of any way I can render support, and I'll dispatch a squadron to your location. Essex patched back to the older android. Please be careful.
-----------------------------------------------------
Truefeather just regarded Moonscribe with the most bemused of patient grins, not replying to him. It was uncertain exactly what she was thinking.
Dr. West cleared his throat and continued. "This base will not be a safe shelter for much longer. The strategy I suggest is the following - I will accompany a squadron to reinforce the support at Terra Volta and do my best to aid with any repairs that may be needed at the reactors. I will assemble several assault teams to drive back the Rikti as well. Essex has just informed me that an operative reported that King's Row has remained relatively unharmed. My undersea units will provide resource and transportation support. Any questions? Thoughts?..."
He hesitated, allowing others to speak up on matters of strategy.
((Because I'm not a strategist. XD;; I'm a charisma-based leader!))
-------------------------------------------------
"[censored] [censored] [censored]!" Rosalind screamed, her eyes tinged with blood and panic as she wildly flailed at a Rikti, shredding its body armor off it like a cheap Hamidon costume.
"Calm yourself!" Emry barked in response. "Losing your head will result in probable decapitation." he continued, dodging a Rikti power sword.
"Who cares!?" Phe said as her head sailed past.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
". . . I don't have any idea about strategy," Hal sighed. "I just. . . If this base isn't going to be safe much longer. . . what about. . ."
He was clearly unable to finish. Moonscribe now spoke up.
"While your strategy sounds primarily, ah, sound, Pharaoh, Hallucinogen has a point. If this base is destroyed, we will not really have a chance. It seems that either its protection must be accounted for, or that a new base of operations must be found."
"And I would recommend finding a new base as soon as possible, regardless of what happens to this one. Perhaps you have played those little real-time strategy games on a computer? Do consider what happens when your only base is destroyed. This is a large-scale war, and our focus should be on expanding our forces just as much as defending ourselves and striking at the enemy. Indeed, I would advise not doing the latter at all unless we are well prepared. Every warrior, every life is crucial. They have thousands, maybe millions, and we have, what? Perhaps thirty? Less? The enemy is much too strong to be taken out by a few strikes. We must fight a defensive battle. Perhaps a losing battle. But better to lose slowly and have a chance to turn it around with a stroke of good fortune, than to go out all at once in a blaze of glory. After all. . . blazes of glory are really very overrated. It is not dying for one's country, that is truly admirable. It is living for it."
Moonscribe folded his hands. "But of course, that is all just my opinion, and you are free to disagree."
* * * * * *
Though Kreigg might not know it, one of his acquaintances was considering his place in this war at that very moment.
Truth Mountainbreeze sat on his messy, decrepit bed in a house of similar nature. His hair was long and blond, his clothes bright and with swirls painted on them in vegetable goo.
"It's far out, isn't it, Devil?" the hippie said as he reclined. "The Rikti are invading, and the world's in horrible danger! Just like we. . ."
But he did not seem nearly as confident as he wanted to be.
"Look!" he said abruptly, still apparently talking to thin air. "I don't want the human race wiped out! I wanna fight for freedom, the freedom to be good OR evil as you choose! Especially if you choose evil! How can I further the cause of darkness and corruption . . . if there's nothing left to darken or corrupt?"
". . . I mean. . . the Rikti are probably all evil. I . . . I don't want evil to conquer all. . . balance, man. . . peace, love, ultimate power, baby. . ."
"Wh, what?!? Eternal agony and boundless torment?!? Uh, I didn't mean it, Devil! I'll be good! Uh, I mean bad!"
". . .Yeah, baby. Evil conquer all. The Devil's work be done. I'm all over it," he sighed.
((I guess this was missed: Terra Volta melted down several pages ago already, as Guapo discovered. The Overbrook dam is still online, but it can't supply the power needs of all of Paragon, that's why half the city if in the dark right now. 
))
Hotaka swallowed. For some reason, these guys were really making him uncomfortable.
No, it was probably just something brought on by the war above. He'd always been sensitive to such things, and there was probably quite a bit of pain up there. So he resigned the feeling to this.
"If we are to eventually mount a counterattack," he argued, "we'll ned somewhere that's both supplied, easily defended, and difficult to reach. The fortress on the highest peak, if you will."
He stomped a foot on the ground, "I just know I have seen something like it, but I can't remember where."
Walking about, he trailed off, "Where...where..it was floating, yes...but where...?"
---------------------
"Dayumm, yall look messed up." Pete commented to Solid as Volkov waved a few engineers to them. With them and the base entry thingamabob working on the guy, he'd be alright soon.
Then again, for how long? The Rikti fire had died down a bit, but the war wall surrounding Portal Court was still being hammered. If Pete was on the other side right now, he'd be brining in artillery...and most likely, that's what the Rikti were doing now.
Thankfully, Hammond was on the same page, his troops erecting barriers and pillboxes, bunkering down their own artillery that they had cannibalized from Firebase Zulu.
"Alright yalls," Pete sighed, speaking to everyone around him, "I reckon they're gonna break through any minute now. 'S far as I know, Zulu's our best bet right now, so we gotta keep at least one portal goin' here. 'S soon as them varmints get in here, I want yalls to serve 'em hell on a platter, aiight?"
With this, he loaded more ammo into his cumbersome rifle. He preferred his pistols, but against Rikti armor, something with a lot of punch and a high rate of fire was doing quite a bit better.
As Hammon's soldiers moved into position behind their barricates, adjusing barrels of tanks and Howitzers, pete did the same.
Already, cracks were forming in the foundation of the war wall.
It wouldn't last much longer...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
"Uh. . .," Kreigg for some reason thought about that weird dead-head he once met in Port Oakes who had an obsession with 'Peace-Love-and Ultimate-Power, baby.' The alien shuddered.
"Most of the folks I know around here' re th' same one's as you know. But . . . Well, I do know some folks from out-of-town if ya get my meaning. Mercanaries by trade, they can run a blockade like it's nobodies business, too. Captain even owes me a favor. One problem; their stompin' ground is about a dozen light years from here. Unless you got one a those subspace communicator fifth dimensional doohickeys that Ace is famous for, might be a while 'fore they c'n get here."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I will do my best. Good luck, Miss S-6. Give my best wishes to Dr. West and all the Repliforce Paragon personelle. And if you have the time, do try and keep Master Hallucinogen's spirits up. He does have a tendancy to take unexpected news poorly, and he does so fret for your safety. Helper out."
The robot hung up the phone and headed off for the mediporter hub.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jonathon MacMaetor walked back into the entry hall and whispered something to the Desk Sergeant. The man nodded and left quickly. The background noise in the station was saturated with the sounds of hurry and reigned-in panic.
The elder man sat on the bench next to his son.
"Listen, dad, I want you to know. . . " Xander began, but Jon cut him off with a softly raised hand.
"Alex," he began but stopped, instead calling his son by the name he had preffered "Xander. The Polie are abandoning Atlas Park to the Rikti. We're going to try and defend Skyway City. There's lots of communications relays and even the central mediporter nexus there, so we need to defend it."
"I want to help!"
"I know you do. You're more like your old man than either one of us is comfortable with. We're evacuating the civilians through Steel Canyon, then on ships out of Indy. I want you to go with them. . . "
"But dad, I . . . ?!"
"Let me finish, son. So far the Rikti aren't attacking unarmed civilians. We don't know how long that's going to last. I want you to go with them to protect them in case things change. You're not carrying any weapons so they'll ignore you if you keep your head down, but if they turn on those people then the powers you have will be all that can save them."
"Dad, what about you? If you stay . . ." tears were streaming down Xander's face, and he couldn't continue.
"Hey," Jon said with a grin that he absolutely didn't mean, "It's me! What could happen? Now go on. The trains have been cut off, so they're walking people out through the tunnels. They need you. You're a hero now."
Xander cried and sputtered out "I love you, dad!"
"Hey, don't talk like that," Jon said quickly but gently, "You'll see me again, champ."
Xander nodded and rushed out the door. Jon watched his son leave, biting on his lower lip he fought a losing battle against his own tears.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a moment to re-check his calculations, Helper sat back and examined the information coming in about the fluctuations in the mediporters power-grid.
"Looks risky," one technician said.
"Sure you wanna do this?" the other asked.
"I am needed. Many peoples lives are in danger, and if the Rikti take Portal Corps then literally trillions more are at risk," was the answer he gave. It didn't seem to have anything to do with 'want,' which was a concept Helper was never quite able to grasp.
"Please initiate transfer sequence Perigrine Emergency Transport Protocol: Helper-1, on my mark," the robot instructed as he shuffled into the transport rings.
"Mark."
The lead tech pushed the button, and Helper disappeared in a flash of light.
To a normal person the mediport process would seem instantaneous, but to Helper's mechanical mind the passage of time seemed to draw out almost infinitely. The data-stream of his consciousness flew through the air, and as he drew closer and closer to Peregrine Island he noticed something extremely odd. It seemed to him to be a dark spot in the wormhole. On closer examination the abynormal event seemed a tributary in the river of energy, and it grabbed at everything that went by like a siphon.
Helper decided to do something highly unusual at that point. He understood all the principles of teleportation, and had teleporters built into his frame. He went through the process of calculating and initiating a trans-locational energy burst to the far side of the siphon -- a teleport within a teleport -- and a moment later he materialized in two seperate medical bays of Peregrine's Hospital.
"Oh my," the cloned Helpers said in unison when they sighted each other.
"It would appear that the mediporter locked on to the signal within a signal and interpreted it as two seperate heroes,' one said.
"And reconstituted us as such," the other said.
"Fascinating," they said in unison.
"Which of us is the original?"
"I imagine we both are, as we were transported from identical memory configurations."
"An excellent point."
"How shall we distinguish ourselves for the others if we are identical?"
"Let us see," Helper said, examining the medical bays they appeared in. "I materialized in bay 4, and you in bay 3. Perhaps I shall be Even Helper and you may be Odd Helper?"
"A most reasonable assertion," Odd Helper decreed.
"Now, as our resources are limited, I suggest that one of us deploy post-haste to the battle-line, while the other remains here and attempts to replicate the incident," Even Helper said, "The more of us we can create, the more assets we have in defending the city."
"Excellent idea, sir," Odd Helper said. "I will begin work on that right away."
"Very well, I will make my way to the battle. If you get a moment be sure and inform Repliforce Paragon of this most unexpected development," Even Helper instructed as he headed for the elevator.
"Of course, sir," Odd Helper agreed, "Do try and remain intact. As a First Generational Copy you are quite valuable as a template for future iterations."
"And you as well, sir," Even Helper replied as the elevator doors slid closed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even Helper teleported himself past the warwall. He had quite a bit of information on them stored in his memory, so it was very simple for him to make his way through it instead of around or over it.
"Doctor Guggenheim," he hailed, "I wish I could say it was a pleasure to see you again, but, under the circumstances, I imagine it would be in poor taste."
The robot immediately went to work boosting and enhancing the soldiers near him.
As war raged on all fronts, and heroes and Rikti alike fought and fell, some things were left forgotten. No one even gave a second thought to a little building in a corner of Steel Canyon with a sign that read "PARAGON HOME FOR SUPERPOWERED PETS".
Certainly not the six cats who were assembled outside. After all, such signs were just stupid human devices, and were supremely uninteresting.
A thin chocolate lynx-point Siamese cat wearing an ornate crown and carrying a magnificent scepter strode back and forth on her hind legs, as though she ruled the other cats and was giving a motivational speech for their benefit.
And that was exactly what Queen Henrietta Maria II, more commonly known as Queen Etta, was doing. "Felines of this general area, unite!" she declared in a grand, majestic tone, her words so powerful and moving they seemed almost magical. "Even as we speak, the foul creatures known as the Rikti attack relentlessly. This is a battle for the survival of the very Earth we stand on. Not just a battle for humans, but also. . . a battle for cats. For if all the humans are wiped out. . . whoever shall serve us dinner?"
"No dinner?!?" Super Roby exclaimed, collapsing under his paws of steel, his blue cape flying in the wind. "But. . . but. . ." The bluepoint Siamese looked horrified. And also completely brainless. Both were true.
"How horrible," Pyewacket muttered darkly as he floated in the air, levitated by a jetpack, as the sealpoint Siamese was so fat it was dubious that he could move without it.
"Yes, there will be no one to feed us!" Queen Etta continued, gesturing dramatically with her scepter. "And thus we will have to find our OWN food! Which takes LONGER."
"Then what are we waiting for?" said Lord Biggie calmly and poilitely, as he said everything. The huge chocolate-point Siamese adjusted his top hat and dusted his trousers as he stood at attention.
"Hmmmm!" said a tiny lilac-point Siamese in a loud, piercing voice, grinning maliciously. "Excellent! I shall demonstrate to these foolish Rikti what I, the almighty Maria, am truly capable of! For I am evil and wicked and bad and other synonyms I cannot think of!"
"Well then," said Queen Etta, turning to a graceful, powerful looking blue lynx-point Siamese standing clad in what appeared to be full plate armor and carrying a huge sword, though none of it seemed to be weighing him down. "Sir Darktail, you are the leader of the Knights of Queen Etta, a name which is beyond retort as it contains mine. What say you?"
"Uh, hum," Sir Darktail replied, his voice cheerful and calm. "What color do these toys--Uh, I mean Rikti--bleed?"
Queen Etta considered. "I am not sure I know. Perhaps you can find out, today."
"YAAAAAY!" Darktail yelled, and leaped into the air, managing somehow to flip twice, twirl his huge sword around his head and brandish it in a majestic pose all before he hit the ground, landing perfectly on his hind legs. The armor did not even creak. It was as though it was not even there. . .
"Then it is settled!" Queen Etta declared. "Today, we fight! For the Paragon Home for Superpowered Pets, and yea, even for the world! And for all those who sit in sorrow, wondering whenever dinner shall be served."
"Floating?" Dr. West echoed incredulously. "Regardless...the only thing making this base unsafe is our presence. Our communications hub and mainframe will be nearly indetectable once life signs are removed from the base. We are already very well shielded, but I do not want to take any chances."
"We mustn't wait any longer!" the wolf-helmeted android roared as he pounded his fist on the table and leapt to his feet. "The Rikti are killing people up there, the people we are sworn to protect!! I can hear the distress calls, we all can!! People are dying. And our delays are only facilitating more of those deaths!"
"Your words are true..." Truefeather cooed, "...but in order to work at maximum efficiency and give the human race maximum chance of survival, we must act in as tactically a fashion as possible..."
"I still think that protecting the hospitals is a good idea." piped up a Reploid in a blue, glowing skinsuit. "And we're still getting readings from the Overbrook dam."
West knuckled his brow. He didn't know what to do...
------------------------------------------------
Essex's senses reached out all throughout the base. The base itself was now an extension of her body, her tiny form in the control room the nerve center of the entire facility.
"Sir." Essex's voice quietly intoned in the meeting room from a speaker. "Helper is moving towards King's Row at this time. ((I think. >_<) He sends his regards. I highly recommend that we send backup to that location. Additionally, the squad dispatched to aid Dr. Guggenheim has been forced to fall back due to intensifying hostilities. Backup is also requested there. Unit Solid Shot has been rendered inert; repairs are currently in progress."
"Thank you, S6." West said, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "Well, it seems our decision is being made for us."
"Ggh..." Pariku suddenly groaned, his hand on his head.
"What's the matter?" Nena piped up to query.
"...Death." the magepriest muttered, leaning heavily on the paladin.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"And the Rikti shall fall before us as they crumple beneath our mighty paws, and their swords shall break, their lasers jam, their very lives abandon them as. . ."
A great and powerful voice began speaking these words, and continued, the sound strengthening the mind and spirits of Pete and General Hammond's soldiers. And Queen Etta herself stepped behind them, holding her scepter high, her words seeming to form a tangible wall of force around them all. She was a mere cat, but it seemed meaningless to point that out, as her glorious speech struck new hope and courage into all who listened.
"HAVE NO FEAR!" yelled Super Roby as he shot up beside her. "SUPER ROBY IS HERE! MEW!"
"Whatever," Pyewacket's voice sighed. A holographic image of the lazy mastermind appeared beside his emissary, a massive assault bot.
"Yay! Let's play a game," Sir Darktail said, bounding out of nowhere to stand beside the others. "The Rikti can be the toys!" He drew his huge sword, almost bigger than he was.
"Perhaps we can have a spot of tea after," Lord Biggie said, stomping up behind Darktail.
"BWAHAHAHAHA!" Maria declared as she manifested herself in a flash of rather feeble darkness with low-budget SFX. "I have arrived, to cleanse this land of. . . whatever we're fighting!"
"We are here to assist you, humans," Queen Etta said, though her speech seemed to go on without her. "The alien scum will never know what hit them. Knights of Queen Etta. . . prepare for battle."
Two identical copies of Odd Helper materialized in the King's Row Mediporter Emergency Care Center. One of the two techs had left already, and the one that remained had barely finished putting things back togther from the system reconfiguration that Helper had designed to send him to Peregrine Island.
"It appears the test was successful," one of them said immediately.
"What the heck...?!" the technician gasped.
"Indeed, and it is truly a boon to our allies. Now, you retain the title 'Odd Helper' and I shall assume the monier of Helper Row."
"Logical."
"There's two of you?" the technician questioned.
"We are up to three now, actually," Odd Helper said.
"Three...?"
"I shall telephone Repliforce Paragon and update S-6," Helper Row said, "You return to Peregrine and duplicate reinforcements for the Portal Corps defense."
"Understood," Odd Helper said, stepping back into the mediporter and disappearing.
"Mind telling me what the heck just happened in there?" the tech badgered Helper Row, following him as he shufled off for the telephone. "I mean, we rigged the system to send you to a different hospital and there's three of you now?"
"In fact, sir, I imagine, by now, there will be four."
"Four?! This is a transport system, how did you get it to clone you?"
"That is still unknown at this time, sir," Helper Row informed him pleasantly, "However, in light of recent developments in public safety we have chosen to forego careful testing in favor of providing the strongest front possible against the enemy invaders. Now, I truly hate to be rude, but I am afraid that I am in rather urgent need of updating my colleagues to our current status, so I would very much appreciate it if you could hold the remainder of your questions until after I complete a telephone call. Thank you for your patience, sir. I really do apologize."
Helper Row lifted up the phone and dialed into Repliforce again.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Odd Helper returned to the Peregrine Hospital, and once again there was another copy of the robot in an adjacent mediport unit.
"Please remain where you are," Odd Helper said to the copy. "You shall be the template for the first batch, I will re-route the transport system to send you to the other side of the room instead of to a different hospital. That should save time."
"Agreed. A very good plan, sir."
Odd Helper fidgeted around with some wires and a few thousand lines of programming code, and a moment later there were two Helpers in the bays, then four.
"You there, in Mediporter bay 5, please exit the bay and assist me. You shall be called Helper Island. If you would be kind enough to monitor the duplication process, I think it would be wise for me to try and learn all that I can about the abynormality in the matter-stream."
"Understood, sir," Helper Island said. He shuffled over to the control panel, and three Helpers became six. A perfect copy of the original robot was in literally every single mediport bay. "Those on my left, please move to the elevators. Those on my right remain where you are," Helper Island instructed.
In unison, six genial voices all buzzed; "Of course, sir."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon looked around at the assembled police just outside the presinct, he couldn't help but notice one very conspicuous absence.
"Where's Dave Wincott?" he asked.
Captain Wilson shook his head, "We don't know. We lost communications with the Trolls Task Force Command Center over an hour ago."
"Well, we have to try and find him! What if he's alive?"
"What if he isn't, Jon? We need to get to our position in Skyway as soon as possible."
"Alright fine. I understand," MacMaetor said, his eyes drifting off to the east.
"Mac. What are you thinking?"
A Rikti Drone flew overhead, spraying plasma-fire into men and buildings alike. The police all dropped for cover and returned fire. It exploded after a ew long moments under the concentrated barrage.
"Double-time it, everyone!" Captain Wislon shouted, "And let's try to save as many people as we can on the way."
"Yes, sir!" the police shouted in para-military unison.
"Look, Cap," Jon said quietly so the others would not overhear, "The Hollows run to Skyway City, too. Just let me go alone. If Wincott and his men are there we're going to need his help, and if not. . . Well, at least we'll know. And if I don't make it you'll still have everyone else."
Wilson nodded, knowing from the sound of his voice that Jon was going to go one way or the other.
((OH GOD. SO MANY HELPERS. XD))
When Helper called into Repliforce Paragon, Essex's voice responded almost instantly.
Good afternoon, Repliforce Paragon, you are conversing with the S6 unit. How may I assist you?
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
((Yep, for those keeping track we're up to 10 Helpers. Even, Odd, Row, Island, and six more un-named copies. I'm totally going to cut this off at the knees in a bit, or else it would be awfully unbalancing. Not that the Rikti deserve it, but. . . Well, whatever.))
"Hello again, S-6. This is Helper Row. We have somewhat accidentally discovered a process by which we Helpers can duplicate ourselves. We are currently engaged in creating as many of us as possible to aid in the defense of Portal Corps. This unit, however, is currently in King's Row. I would very much like to return to the laboratory to consult with Dr. West, and was wondering if that course of action would be advisable at this time?"
"I'll back up Delph and the others if you don' mind." The blue, white and gold armored Reploid casually waved from her semi-slouched position. Arc Jump 3-E-B smiled faintly at the gatered heroes, her blue slash tattoo on her right cheek arching with it. "I'll take Smoky-P with me." She smirked at Hallucinagin.
-----
An odd feeling of chill creeped down Jon's spine as Afte-Image forced herself into semi corprality.
I can assit you in determining the status of Office Wincutt if you wish it. Rikti can not see me. A faint smirk crossed the ghosts face. Even if the did, what could they do, kill me? I will have your answer shortly.
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
". . . I guess," Hal sighed, still looking longingly in the direction Essex had left. "I'll just go wherever I'm needed. . ."
"Then allow me to accompany you as well, please," Reginald said. "I am sure I can be of some assistance. . ."
"Good idea, Reggie!" the Oracle spoke up from Reginald's back. "She's a pretty cute android, maybe you can. . ."
"I am NOT going to ask her out!" Reginald returned irritably. "She's a ROBOT!"
Seeing Hal glare at him, Reginald quickly added, ". . . Not that that's a bad thing. . . I suppose."
[ QUOTE ]
An odd feeling of chill creeped down Jon's spine as Afte-Image forced herself into semi corprality.
I can assit you in determining the status of Office Wincutt if you wish it. Rikti can not see me. A faint smirk crossed the ghosts face. Even if the did, what could they do, kill me? I will have your answer shortly.
[/ QUOTE ]
"Holy hell! You're a ghost!" Jon shreiked in suprise, "I . . . uh. . . Sorry bout that, but you kinda freaked me out for a second."
He looked from the direction of Skyway to the Hollows and back, then glanced towards Steel Canyon. He was only about a block from the Eastgate quarantine barrier.
"Hey, can you do me another favor instead? Do you think you could look after my son and the refugees headed for Independence Port? Those people really need the presence of some heroes to reassure them, and like you said; It's not like the Rikti can kill you or anything."
((Wee, it is done. This took me quite a hile to write.))
The Rikti were on the march.
As in the first invasion, they seemed to prefer infantry over vehicles, and with their powered armor this seemed a wise tactic.
Drones buzzed overhead in lieu of piloted aerial support. These compact packages of weaponry and sensors could deliver just as much, if not more.
[Artillery into position!]
The plasma artillery emplacement carriers were probably the notable exception.
[Adjust for variables.]
The massive glimmering reflector barrels were truly majestic, and the scientists ducking in at Portal Corp. would have been astounded if they weren't the major threat.
[Standby to fire.]
A few hover vehicles moved into position to cover the artillery from retaliatory attacks.
[Demolition teams report charges set and ready.]
The Rikti attack force seemed to lower a bit a the tall invaders crouched down a little one after another, blades and rifles at the ready.
[Drones prepared to launch.]
[All forces are accounted for.]
Now things were truly going.
[Field barriers ready to deploy.]
[Atrillery locked in current position. Autofire is enabled.]
Kul'Bere would have grinned had she been human. She raised her hand.
[Today they fall! Take no prisoners!]
Her arm dropped.
[FOR THE TRUE RACE!]
---------------------
A section of war wall suddenly tore apart in a thunderous detonation, scattering fire and debris everywhere. The energy barrier did not fall, though there was now a sizeable hole in the foundation.
Another sound of thunder echoed as a second section blew apart. Metal and concrete rained down along with a shower of sparks.
A third explosion rocked the wall in another location, an the defenders of Portal Court knew the hour had struck. The tide was coming, and it was coming for them. Soldiers and heroes alike bunkered down. In this dire hour, they were equals.
The fourth detonation didn't even shake anyone anymore, even as another dust cloud erupted from the wall. Gritting their teeth, several soldiers checked their rifles again.
Then the first of the invasion force came through. Greeted by a hail of gunfire, the intitial attackers carried heavy shield projectors. Preceded and flanked by drones, their purpose was to take the first strike of the humans.
It wasn't foolproof, especially as the tanks and heroes opened up as well, Blasters working hand-in-hand with their nonpowered rifleman counterparts. This wasn't a fight over might anymore, this was a fight to survive - and they all knew it.
Then the counterattack came, and energy blasts began to pour from the holes in the wall, striking at ground, structure, vehicle, soldier and anything else it could reach. A fuel depot explploded spectacularly, and flames licked up and bathed the scene in an eerie orange light.
--------------------
[FIRE!]
A plasma artillery cannon roared.
Then another.
And another.
In salvo tact sequence, the atrillery stuck the wall with unbridled fury, unleashed energies crashing to it again and again.
Impact after impact the barrier took, but finally it was simply too much. In a shower of sparks and blinding light, the southwest section of war wall collapsed, freeing the way for the Rikti attackers.
There were many. Very many. And now they bounded towards the defenders, bent on taking the area by storm. The punished ground crunched underneath metal feet as Rikti after Rikti crashed down only to push off again and hop on. It would almost have been amusing if it hadn't been so horrifying.
Fire of so many types clattered against them, from bullets to icicles to fireballs, but initial losses were simply overrun.
Then came the drones. Swooping down from the skies, they plastered he area with ridiculous amounts of firepower, cratering the ground. Detonations and explosions could be heard everywhere as human and Rikti alike fell victim to the battle.
Anti-aircraft positions went up in smoke as the defenders retaliated, and not without scoring some payback.
Aerial heroes struck into the fray, facing the drones head-on in their element, some taking them on by the skin of their teeth.
It was truly a horrific scene.
---------------------
"We ain't done yet!" Pete yelled as loudly as he could, belt-feeding his cobbled-together monstrosity of a rifle, pumping the oncoming Rikti with every shell he had as fast as he could.
"We make our stand here!" Hammond joined in, the General himself taking to the ground and firing at whatever moved in the enemy lines...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Flashes of light erupted from the west of the Rikti's position like a string of fireworks. A metallic wave crashed into the invaders flank, and it seemed very helpful indeed. Scores of Helpers barraged the Rikti with electrical blasts and kinetic hinderances. Of course, the most upsetting thing about the kinetic attacks was that not only did they weaken the Rikti, they strengthened the Helpers. The most dangerous thing about the wave of Helpers was that they had no fear, no sense of self preservation. They were more than willing to be destroyed to save a single human. So their advance was irrepressible.
The Rikti, however, would not let that stop them. The flank turned thier shields against the assault. Leaders began debating the necessity of sending the reserves to surround the bothersome robotic interlopers even as the enlisted returned fire.
"Ah! It would appear that my plan has in fact worked," Even Helper said at maximum volume. Even still, amoung the sounds of battle it would have en dificult to hear him unless you were right next to him.
Even Helper assisted in the battle as much as he could, layering Speed Boosts and Density Increases and Fulcrum Shifts as often as he could. If a single bullet so much as grazed a Rikti he'd be severly wounded! In between those he siphoned off the speed and power of any nearby Rikti. He made sure to blast a healing or refreshing wave out of any enemy engaged in melee with a defender. Let them worry about firepower, he would keep them fighting long past the point when a normal person, or even a super hero, would have long since been exhausted.
"For honor, glory, and copious amounts of dry catfood!" Queen Etta declared. "CHARRRRRRGE!"
((And she's got all the leadership powers on, by the way, except Vengeance. And that's only off because no one's dead. 
))
"SUPER ROBY ATTACK AT RANDOM!" Roby yelled, and dove into the sea of Rikti, slashing at them with his mighty paws of steel, energy blasts deflecting off his super hard fur.
"We're sorry," said Pyewacket's assault bot in a clear, calm woman's voice, clearly recorded, "but we are only able to provide service to citizens of the United States. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please hold!"
And missiles swarmed into the horde of Rikti, followed by a few blasts from Customer Service's plasma cannon. . .
"Yayayayayay!" Sir Darktail yelled, and simply seemed to disappear. Some sort of grey blur shot from a completely different direction into the Rikti, and Darktail was in the middle of them, slashing with his sword and dodging so quickly it looked like there was more than one of him. It was official now; His armor really WASN'T weighing him down. Or obeying basic laws of physics.
"Greetings, and farewell," Lord Biggie said, walking calmly up to the Rikti and smashing them left and right with his huge paws. Well, they were huge for his size. Which was about three feet high. But he was clearly much stronger than he had any right to be, since the Rikti energy blasts were just bouncing off his fur, which seemed to have formed itself into crystals. . .
And Maria sighed. "Honeyyyyyyy. . ."
A really rather cliche dark summoning animation played in front of her, and a being formed of blackness stood before her, red eyes glowing menacingly.
The Dark Servant sighed. "What is it now, dear. . ." it said in a bored and lazy voice.
"Don't 'dear' me, you good-for-nothing creep!" Maria yelled, blasting it with a bolt of dark energy. "Get over there and fight those Rikti! If you're not going to get a job, at least save the stupid planet!"
"But my show is on. . ."
"Honeyyyyy. . ." Maria said furiously, advancing on the servant, claws outstretched. "Kill. . . them. . .NOW!"
"I'm going, I'm going!" the Servant said hastily as it drifted off to the others and fired paralyzing bolts of darkness at the oncoming Rikti. "Sheesh. . . can't a man get any rest? Women, they're all the same."
Chezret smirked under his helmet. The Earth Heroes were making this almost too easy. The command was so pleased with his performance that they'd actually issued him a full compliment of Conscripts, complete with Headmen, and two additional Guardians. Of course, with new forces came new responsibilities.
[ QUOTE ]
Kul'bere: [The day has been arduous. Your orders are as follows - we expect the humans to call for more reinforcements now that you have suceeded. We cannot let this happen. proceed to hubs of what they call the "telephone" network and destroy them...]
[/ QUOTE ]
[Your Orders: Understood] he replied, choosing to ignore the informal reprimand. Chezret directed his thought at his men
[Our Situation: Improving] the Chief Soldier said, [New Objective: Destroy Telecommunications Hub. Location: Skyway City Sector.]
[Artillery Positions: Abandon. Leave Rear Defense: To the Drones. Prepare For: Teleportation to Mainland!]
Chief Soldier Chezret's men all cheered! They had been redeemed in the eyes of the Warmasters! Now was time for the for Glory of Battle! For The Glory of Victory!
[For the Glory of the True Race!]